Horsenden

56. HORSENDEN.

(O.S. 6 in. xxxvii. S.W.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Michael, stands 1 mile S.W. of Princes Risborough, and is built of flint with stone dressings; the tower is of stone with garreted joints. The roof is tiled. The Chancel was built late in the 15th century; the rest of the church was pulled down in 1765, and the Tower was then re-built at the W. end of the chancel, re-using some of the old materials. In the 19th century the chancel was lengthened towards the E.

The 16th-century screen on the W. side of the chancel is worthy of note.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (38 ft. by 18 ft.) has an E. window of three lights and tracery, all modern, except the moulded external label and the inner jambs and rear arch, which are apparently of late 15th-century date, re-set. The N. and S. walls have each two late 15th-century windows, all of three uncusped lights and tracery in two-centred heads, partly of clunch and partly of stone; the sill of the eastern window in each wall is cut down to form a seat. Near the W. end of the S. wall is a plain squint, now blocked. In the W. wall is a modern doorway, opening from the tower. The Tower (8 ft. square) is of two stages with an embattled parapet. The W. doorway has 15th-century moulded jambs, of clunch, and a four-centred head of two orders, with trefoiled spandrels, also of clunch, modern or re-cut; the outer order and the moulded external label are of stone, probably of the 18th century; the W. window is of two lights, partly of the 18th century and partly modern. In each face of the upper stage is a plain pointed light, the head of clunch, the jambs and square moulded label of stone.

Fittings—Bells: one, dated 1582. Brasses and Indents. Indent: in chancel—under the communion table, apparently of a shield, much worn. Monuments. In chancel—on N. wall, marble tablet to Bathewell, wife of John Grubb, 1666, and to John Grubb, 1700. Piscina: in chancel, with chamfered jambs and pointed head, modern or re-cut; shallow circular basin and chamfered shelf, possibly 13th-century. Plate: includes cup with baluster stem of 1661 or 1671, date-letter indistinct. Screen: against W. wall of chancel, on each side of doorway, of wood, in two bays, with four trefoiled open panels in each bay, plain chamfered rail, hollow-chamfered mullions, spandrels carved alternately, on the side facing the chancel, with lions' faces and Tudor roses, moulded cornice, 16th-century, cornice restored, some of the mullions, and the pieces filling up spandrels of doorway are modern. Tiles: In floor of chancel, a considerable number, on first floor of tower, others, loose, of various patterns, mediæval, much worn.

Condition—Good; but the clunch in some of the windows is decaying and falling away.

Secular

(2). The Manor House, S.E. of the church, was re-built in the 18th and 19th centuries, but the kitchen wing, on the W. side of the house, possibly incorporates remains of an earlier date. Interior:—On the first floor is a four-centred arch, of stone, probably brought from the church in the 18th century, and now covered with wall-paper.

Condition—Good.

(3). Rectory Farm, 180 yards N. of the church, is a house of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof. It was built early in the 17th century, and timber-framed, but has been almost entirely re-faced with modern brick. The roof is thatched. The central chimney stack is of brick, half of it original. Inside the house are old ceiling-beams and a wide fireplace, partly blocked.

Condition—Good.